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1 of 5Its looks are unconventional, but there's no denying that the 2012 Mini John Cooper Works Coupe is a blast to drive.

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2 of 5One editor compared the abbreviated roof of the 2012 Mini John Cooper Works Coupe to a backwards baseball cap.

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3 of 5The fixed roof of the 2012 Mini John Cooper Works Coupe, combined with its curb weight of 2,701 and a stiff suspension, make it the most performance-oriented Mini yet.

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4 of 5The small, two-seat interior means that the 2012 Mini John Cooper Works Coupe isn't likely to make a practical primary vehicle.

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5 of 5Combined with a six-speed manual transmission, the turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four under the hood of the 2012 Mini John Cooper Works Coupe is quite potent--especially in sport mode.

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ASSOCIATE EDITOR JAKE LINGEMAN: These John Cooper Works Mini vehicles are very fun, but for almost $40k, all that fun comes at a price. Sure, you could knock off a lot of those options, but you would still land around $35,000 for a 2012 Mini John Cooper Works Coupe. For that you can get a Ford Mustang GT, Chevrolet Camaro SS and a bunch of other fun cars that are bigger and more powerful than this Mini.

That being said, this is one of the most fun cars I've driven in a while. It's quick with only a small amount of turbo lag. Push the pedal down anywhere reasonable in the rev range and you're rewarded with nearly instant power. It'll beat most cars at a red light, and dicing through traffic is a breeze with its point-and-shoot steering and a small wheelbase.

I'm always amazed at the mileage. I didn't fill this up, but I saw 50 or 60 miles on the trip with only one notch gone on the digital fuel gauge. I'd really like to run this thing to empty and see what a tank holds.

More than that, I really would like to get it on a track. It rides rough over all but the smoothest pavement, transferring every expansion joint and pothole to your hands and kidneys. It also has a scary amount of bump steer. Hit a curved expressway ramp with any sort of gusto and keep your hands planted on the wheel. It'll almost jump into the next lane. But on smooth asphalt, look out.

The shape is a bit goofy to me. I found myself thinking, “If they just did a regular hatchback, they would be in business.” And then I remembered the Mini Cooper hardtop, which is still one of the, if not the best front-wheel-drive vehicle. Just let it be boys, just let it be.

ROAD TEST EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: I know a lot of people think the Mini Cooper Coupe is just plain ugly with its helmet roof. Editor Wes Raynal says it looks like something with a backwards cap on and I can see that, too.

What's undeniable is the fact that it's the most performance-focused vehicle in the Mini lineup. Built on the convertible's platform, it's got extra bracing across the middle to normally make up the missing fixed roof on the drop-top. Thing is, the Coupe has a fixed roof to make it the stiffest car in the family. With all that, it makes the Coupe actually heavier than the standard Hardtop with a backseat. In John Cooper Works form, the Hardtop weighs 2,668 pounds, while the Coupe tips the scales at 2,701 pounds.

Shoot the down the road and you'll know that this car is for a particular Mini owner. The ride is rough with even the smallest bumps in the road transmitting into the cabin. The Continental runflat tires don't help matters, either, with the super stiff sidewalls. There's lot of tire noise piped into the cabin as well.

But when you find a nice succession of curves or throw this John Cooper Works Mini Cooper Coupe through some expressway interchanges, it's a delight. Grip levels are high before the front end begins to push when you attack corners too hard. Steering response is instant with satisfying feedback and the brakes deliver all the stopping muscle you'll need to slow things down.

Punch the Sport button next to the cup holders and this pint-sized force-induced powerplant really wakes up to eagerly pull this coupe along with it pulling hard all the way up to redline. High-marks go to the six-speed manual, too, for its crisp shift action.

I'll second Jake's comment about wanting to get this on a road course. Being a front-wheel-drive vehicle, I would expect it to push a fair amount, but I'm almost certain that it will still be a ball.

When it comes down to it, Mini wasn't expecting to sell a ton of these coupes when I went on the first-drive of it last year. After all, it's a small, two-seater that doesn't offer much practicality. However, for those Mini faithful who do purchase a coupe as a second car or can make due with it on a daily basis, they'll be rewarded with the tightest handling and most entertaining Mini in the lineup.